DoorDash launches AI bot to take customers’ takeout orders

Food delivery service platform DoorDash is integrating AI technology for their restaurant clients, which will see customers communicating their food orders to AI-powered bots instead of busy in-house staff.

According to an Aug. 28 announcement from DoorDash, the new AI-powered voice ordering system will answer customer phone calls, which will be available to “select operators.”

The company’s 2023 Restaurant Online Ordering Trends report revealed that while 20% of customers prefer to order their food via phone, up to 50% of customer calls are left unanswered — leading to significant unrealized losses for restaurants.

“Customers expect more from restaurateurs, and in return, restaurateurs expect even more technology-forward solutions from us — including support for phone channels to meet customers where they’re ordering,” said DoorDash’s head of product and design Rajat Shroff.

According to the statement, DoorDash will combine a mix of AI and human operators to ensure that all customer calls are answered within a short time frame, allowing restaurants to keep up with increased demand during peak times.

Additionally, DoorDash says its AI system will be able to provide a personalized customer experience by answering calls in multiple languages.

Third-party food delivery apps have grown significantly in popularity over the last two years. The company’s report found that 34% of respondents begin their food ordering process by looking at a third-party app like DoorDash or UberEats, more than double that of 15% in 2021.

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The AI-enhanced ordering system will also provide customers with potential recommendations to fill out their meal — a move DoorDash says will increase overall sales for restaurants.

In May, fast food chain Wendy’s made waves when it announced that it would be introducing an AI-powered chatbot dubbed “Wendy’s FreshAI” to take orders from drive-thru customers.

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